Sensory Penalities: Exploring the Senses in Spaces of Punishment and Social Control

Sensory Penalties explores the sensory and disrupts conventional expectations of form and focus by expanding anthropological practices and craft into criminology and criminological research. It aims to explore what sensory aspects of experience mean to those engaged in such research and how they can shape our criminological thinking.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 296 pages
Publication date: 15 March 2024
Publisher: Emerald Publishing Limited

Sensory Penalities: A Radical Exploration of the Senses in Criminology and Criminological Research

Sensory Penalities represents a groundbreaking surge in the exploration of the sensory, challenging conventional notions of both form and focus in the field of criminology and criminological research. By integrating anthropological practices and craftsmanship into the realm of criminology, the authors in this edited collection offer unique perspectives on physical and sensorial experiences within sites of surveillance and control. Through vivid accounts of their research encounters, they bring forth the impressions and sensory experiences that linger in field notes, offering a fresh perspective that is often overlooked in existing work. By carving out spaces to consider these places and the ways in which they are theorised anew, the authors invite us to reimagine our understanding of these spaces and their role in shaping our criminological thinking.

The central objective of this book is to delve into the sensory dimensions of experience and their profound impact on those engaged in such research. It seeks to answer questions such as: What are the sensory textures of these experiences? What insights do they yield? How can we effectively communicate these sensory dimensions? Ultimately, by exploring these elements, the book aims to shed light on the broader implications of sensory considerations in the realm of penality.

This timely volume disrupts and redefines prevailing assumptions about what criminology is and should be, more accurately reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of the field. It encourages scholars and researchers to embrace a broader range of perspectives and methodologies, fostering a deeper understanding of the complex interplay between the sensory, the social, and the criminal. Sensory Penalities serves as a catalyst for innovative thinking and transformative research, pushing the boundaries of our knowledge and understanding of the criminal justice system.

Weight: 408g
Dimension: 151 x 228 x 19 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781839097294